# Words you still can't pronounce **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 6, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-still-cant-pronounce/654978 "2013-04-06T02:37:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-still-cant-pronounce/654978/41 "2013-04-08T18:45:11Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > I have to concentrate really hard to make the word “wraith” not sound like “wrath”. Khaaaaaaaaaaaaain! ---
**Author:** ![Ms.Pumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@Ms.Pumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms.Pumpkin)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-still-cant-pronounce/654978/42 "2013-04-08T19:43:40Z")
Certain words with both an ‘R’ and a ‘W’ in them. Brewery is one. I work in the town of Brunswick. I can say it just fine, as long as I don’t _think_ about it. If I stop and think, it’ll come out either “Bwunswick” or “Brunsrick”. I have to say it every time I answer the damn phone at work, too. Doesn’t help that the next word I have to say begins with an ‘R’, either! ---
**Author:** ![EverwonderWhy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EverwonderWhy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EverwonderWhy)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-still-cant-pronounce/654978/43 "2013-04-08T20:42:07Z")
Rural and virulent. It’s the damn r’s in both words that get me, but virulent is the toughest for me for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-still-cant-pronounce/654978/44 "2013-04-08T23:52:05Z")
> [@Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](#): > > And sixths. Well, I can pronounce it, but I don’t enjoy pronouncing it. In fact, as far as words go, it’s downright obnoxious. Worse than fifths? ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-still-cant-pronounce/654978/45 "2013-04-09T00:28:05Z")
I struggle with certain combinations of w & r, and of all of them, I think the word “brewery” is the most evil. I trip over it in my own head almost as badly as I do trying to say it out loud. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-still-cant-pronounce/654978/46 "2013-04-09T00:40:52Z")
My husband had to give me a trick so that I could say “lily.” I still have to say it a bit slowly. I don’t know why it comes up so often, but I can’t ever remember how to say “emu.” Eemoo? eemyoo? I can look it up but the next time, I still won’t know. “Big bird.” And Bugs Bunny has gotten to me so that I struggle to remember if it’s strategy or stragety. ---
**Author:** ![Lightlystarched](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Lightlystarched](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightlystarched)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-still-cant-pronounce/654978/47 "2013-04-09T01:57:48Z")
Prostelicize or whatever that stupid word is that means people are trying to sell you their religion. Hate that word. Proselytize. Yeah, I always want to make it “prost-----” ---
**Author:** ![Trick\_Rider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Trick\_Rider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trick_Rider)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-still-cant-pronounce/654978/48 "2013-04-09T04:09:02Z")
Sixth ---
**Author:** ![Oly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oly/32/8255_2.png) [@Oly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oly)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-still-cant-pronounce/654978/49 "2013-04-09T04:45:28Z")
Germans cannot pronounce “squirrel”. Americans cannot pronounce the German word for squirrel, “eichhoernchen”. Just seemed like the right time for that. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-still-cant-pronounce/654978/50 "2013-04-09T11:53:11Z")
I often hear people speaking of “periphial” vision, leaving out the second “r” when they attempt to pronounce the word “peripheral.” ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-still-cant-pronounce/654978/51 "2013-04-09T12:52:15Z")
Pronounciation. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-still-cant-pronounce/654978.md?page=2)